Legacy of the Bat
by JimmyEdz
Summary: A short collection of how several characters in the Batman universe would react upon his death. From Jim Gordon deciding upon retirement to Nightwing taking the mantle of the Bat to the Jokers last victim. Featuring new characters and original characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Legacy of the Bat**

**Authors note: Hey guys and girls, I'd like to note that this fanfiction short story is merely for experimental uses. I'm seeing which character can excel at so I can use that character for my next Batman fanfiction story, I will use a collection of known character and others I have created. **

**Declaimer: I do not own any of the Batman characters I am merely using them for fanfiction services.**

**Last great Knight **

I watch over the scenario, from beginning to end I Jim Gordon have carefully analysed every moment of this extraordinary night.

Joker had captured two civilians, one a motorcycle criminal the other a Police Lieutenant, god knows what he did to them down in his torture rooms but the man publicly announced their capture over the internet. A dangerous move resulting in the Batman taking charge of the situation.

I spoke to the Bat earlier I remember clearly our conversation little did I know it would be our last.

"He's got them both locked up in there!" I shouted to him as we both stood on building top looking over the factory where Joker was holed up.

"He's in there somewhere, I'll save them both first and lead them to the roof for you to pick them up, Joker is mine." The Batman replied in his stern manner.

"Every time he just escapes from Arkham and Blackgate, you got to do something about him!" I barked in his ear, however he seemed not to hear me.

"Your getting old Jim, ever thought of retirement?" He muttered to me, and then he leapt from the building, flung out his cloak like so they looked almost like bat wings and then he glided down to the factory, ready to face the joker.

It only took the man half an hour to recapture the two hostages and bring them to the surface, he handed them to me and he returned to the factory, there on rooftop the two men battled, Batman and the Joker, good versus evil, justice over crime and only one of them could walk away the champion.

Goosebumps began to crawl up my spine as I watched the fight, sweat picked at my forehead and my nerves shook through my whole body.

I watched the Batman send punch after punch perfectly timed as Joker side stepped and dodged all the times explosions going off from Jokers timed bombs, causing the Bat to be dismayed however he still kept strong, that is until Joker pulled out a knife.

Joker stabbed the bat over and over, he swipped and slashed the blade across the Bat's chest, arms and all over the body.

I remember the Jokers laugh, his maniacal screams of humour and then I saw the Bat make his last move, he stretched out and grasped the Joker by the neck and held him aloft.

The Joker plunged his knife deep in the Batman's chest, it seemed Batman was losing this struggle but then Batman slammed Joker to the floor by the neck and then he raised his Batarang.

The Bat said something to the Joker, some famous last words I guessed i wished I could have known what he said. Then the Bat threw his Batarang into the wind, I watched the Batarang fly round the building, something happened then the Batarang had small blue circle that seemed to be it's natural power charge then it turned red.

The Batarang struck at several electric wires and they fell down on the factory rooftop circulating the duo.

"What's he doing?" One of the Police Lieutenants asks me, I shake my head and tell the boy to be quiet.

The Batarang then struck at a water storage unit on the factory roof, then charge or the Batarang turned to a very bright red light ad then exploded. The water came like a wave crashing down on the two fighters and struck with the water.

When the water hit the two fighters the static electricity contacted with the battle send static shocks through the two fighters, Jokers laugh could still be heard as the electricity shook through him until finally the laugh died down in the wind.

I watched the Bat stand up slowly and very shakily, the blood ran down his uniform faster than the water and he left behind him a trail of blood.

I watched him walk towards the very edge of the rooftop and fall to his knees, he held his arms out and collapsed.

A gasp of silence struck through the whole city, the Bat had fallen, I glanced at the Police men around me, their jaws had dropped and one of them even had a tear in her eye, I myself was struck hard and I even lost my balance for a moment.

"Get Medical attention now!" I scream and the cops almost seemed to come back to life and like ants began circulating around me doing their jobs. I just stood there and watched the Bat.

Suddenly another figure appeared on the rooftop next to the Batman, he was tall and had loose black hair and a blue eagle shaped on his chest. Nightwing.

I watched the young man help his master to his feet and he launched away his grappling hook and the two men vanished into the night.

Now I still stand here on this very rooftop, the explosions had died down and all the water carrying Batman's blood had died away into the drains.

I have a jon to do myself, I have to interrogate the two hostages Johnny Raven and Lieutenant William Conroy, but yet I feel something holding me back, some supernatural force that compels me to stand guard on this very rooftop.

I remember all the years I spent watching over the Batman fight crime, before it never bothered me but now I realise that the Bat averted crime more than myself. Me a Commissioner of the Police force paying respects to a vigilante, yes the Batman did great wonders for this city without even being asked, I sit at a Office every day and listen to my Radio waiting for the next robbery, murder or escape

I glance at my watch, 02:13 and my shift finished several hours ago an yet I still feel confined to this rooftop, I have a wife at home and a son leaving for College, maybe it is time I look towards the future now.

Maybe it is time I left the force, the batman has finished his job maybe it is time I think about retirement and reside with my family. God knows my son doesn't see me enough, I hope he understand everything time I stood vigil on rooftop or listened intently to my radio was for him. To protect him the same way Batman protected the city, I do wonder if that makes me selfish in some manner.

"Captain!" I bark into the night. Captain Ellen Yindel the cities favourite after I retire steps up to my shoulder.

"Yes sir?" She asks in her militaristic fashion.

"I'm going home, I shall interview the hostages in the morning."

"I can do that sir…"

"No, it shall be my last act of duty Captain, you can inform the Mayor if you wish of my leaving notice."

The cops around yet again fall quiet, I nod my head and slowly walk away leaving Yindel confused and shocked amongst others who shared her expression.

It's been a good fifty years on the force, in that time I met the most greatest man I ever had the pleasure of knowing. May the Batman's legacy live on, I hope others share my view, I knew the man well and we shared the compassion for justice only he acted more valiantly, I can only respect him for that however I wish I could have excelled the same manner as he.


	2. A new road

Legacy of the Bat Chapter 2

A new road

Johnny Raven scratched the back on his neck slowly, only a hour ago he had been the Jokers hostage along side that policeman back in that cursed factory.

He had been strapped to a wooden chair, electrically shocked and beaten up by the Joker's goons. And to think all of that started from just a mere heist gone wrong, Johnny earlier that evening joined a robbery with his biker friends on a diamonds shop.

That policeman, Johnny heard someone call him Lieutenant Conroy or something, had appeared on the scene and prevented Johnny's escape as the other bikers ran away into the night.

Then Johnny remembered the Jokers goons turning up, kidnapping the two men and bringing them to that damned factory. The Cop had it the worst, he was the first one to be taken to the torture rooms where only god knows what the Joker did to the man.

That was when Batman saved Johnny, beating up the goons and even taking a bomb blast whilst protecting Johnny, Johnny didn't understand why the Bat had saved him like that.

Johnny was very shaken by the whole event, the Batman Gotham's guardian the man who had had spent his life preventing crime had saved Johnny a low life deadbeat criminal.

"Name kid?" A strange voice interrupted Johnny's trail of thought.

Johnny turned to spot a local walk the beat cop holding a notepad standing right beside him. Johnny had been take to a Ambulance where he was being treated, he was even offered a pack of smokes.

"Johnny Raven." He replied searching through his pockets for a lighter.

"Age? Residential living?" The Cop asked scribbling something down on his notepad.

"I'm twenty one years old and I live down Crime Alley in the block of flats." Johnny explained curtly. "You got a light pal?"

"Sorry kid I don't." The Cop replied not looking up from his notepad.

Suddenly a third figure appeared behind the cop, he looked to be a elderly man, white hair and white moustache, he wore a large brown over coat and on his chest he had Commissioner of Gotham pinned there.

"I'll take over from here Officer." The man mutter contemptibly.

The Officer turned and his face turned white as snow, "Ye… yes sir." He stammered and quickly walked away.

The man turned to the kid in the ambulanced and smiled encouragingly, "you got a spare smoke there kid?" He asked.

"You got a light?" Johnny asked with a nod to his cigarette packed on the table.

"Appreciated." The elderly Commissioner replied and passed Johnny his lighter then taking one of the cigarettes from the packet. "Listen these Officers are going to take you to the hospital so you can rest up, I'll talk to you in the morning."

"I understand." Johnny replied passing back the lighter. "Any news on the Batman?"

Then suddenly the Commissioner turned away and hung his head, slowly he raised his eyes to the night sky, gazing at the bat signal that was still looming over Gotham.

"All I know is he lost a lot of blood, the Joker however died of the electric shocks that coursed through his body." The Commissioner explained and turned back to Johnny. "Any man would have died from that much electricity, does that comfort you?"

Johnny muttered and blew away the grey smoke from his lips, "Joker's dead eh? And the Batman isn't far off, suppose the guy had to retire some time."

The Commissioner then stared intently at Johnny, the two held eye contact for a moment and Johnny felt uneasy as the man's puzzled complexion scanned Johnny. "We all have to retire some time kid, some go before their time. The Batman is no exception, not many take notice of the good he has done."

Johnny nodded and smiled charmingly, "Thank you sir."

"It's all right kid, get some sleep we all need it." The man said and then he disappeared into the night leaving Johnny on his own in the Ambulance.

The next morning Johnny's wounds had been tended to and he was all bandaged up, thankfully he wasn't beaten up that badly and he decided he should make his way home, he didn't want to wait for any Commissioner to interrogate him.

"Mr Raven where are you going?" One of the Nurses asked me as he tried to make his way out.

"Fresh air." Johnny replied casually and he limped past the Nurse and attempted to open the door.

"Im sorry but I must insist you stay in bed!" The Nurse replied her tone more strict and firm.

Johnny shook his head and turned to the girl, "Look hun I'm sorry if I'm breaking hospital rules but I got things to do and people to see."

Just then he felt a hand grasp his shoulder, angered by this he turned and raised a balled fist only to be greeted by the Commissioner.

"Mr Gordon sir I tried to…" The nurse began but the Commissioner stopped her with just a glance.

"It's okay ms Jane, right kid you fit to walk?" Gordon muttered and glared intently at Johnny.

"So far so good sir, if you don't mind I'd rather go home." Johnny replied with his reckless demeanour flourishing more than the previous night.

"You can go home after our talk." Gordon replied more unsympathetically.

Behind Gordon Johnny noticed two beat cops appear, Johnny gulped and turned to Gordon and smiled pleasantly. "Please lead on." He grinned.

It took a good two hours for Johnny to describe the events, the failed heist, the torture the two hostages experienced and the Batman's rescue. Johnny was more surprised to hear the cop who was the hostage with Johnny was William Conroy, the first Cop to ever bring him in. Of course Conroy was a harsh man and he bullied Johnny back then and even threatened him with prison if he didn't pay half his profits. However Johnny did not mention this here as he understood why any cop would listen to him over a fellow flat foot.

"This story of yours seems to tie in perfectly kid, you can have some satisfaction in the count that yes the Joker is dead, we have sent him to the Morgue this morning." Gordon announced stabbing out his cigarette in the ash tray.

"And the Batman?" Johnny asked.

"I hope he has found peace kid, right go on get out of here now thanks for all your help." Gordon muttered and gestured Johnny to the door.

Johnny nodded, picked up his jacket and made his way out to the fresh air outside.

The winter weather was about to begin, the falling leaves had mostly vanished from the trees and littered the pavements, people bustled by wrapped in their big coats as Johnny strolled down the street.

He thought about everything concerned with the previous night, nobody seemed to even acknowledge the event, they all seemed more involved with their own lives and future not others.

Johnny took a quick short cut through a alleyway, it was the fastest way home although dangerous, crime alley was notorious for it's ruthless criminals.

"Hey kid where you going?" A voice called out to him.

Johnny turned to see three men, all muscular and well built step up to him. He cleared his throat and hoped they didn't recognize the fear he felt. "On my way home fellas, can I help you with any thing?" He asked carefully.

"We are a little bit short on cash." One of them spat in a deep voice.

"Yeah so less with the pleasantries, hand us your wallet kid." Their apparent leader barked and grasped Johnny.

Johnny grinned, balled his fist and sent a wide punch to the side of the thugs face, the man fell back against the other two tending to his jaw.

Johnny then felt his sides ache, he still hadn't healed from the previous night, he was still in pain. And these three wouldn't go down with just one punch he needed to think and fast.

"You little prick!" One of the men roared and charged at Johnny.

Johnny side stepped aside and wrapped his arm round the thug's neck and using the man's weight against him threw him to the floor and then stamped on the thugs nose.

Turning to the other two he had no time to defend himself against a enemy punch to his ribs, bending over the thugs grabbed him and threw him against the wall.

"Kick him in!" the men shouted and began to deliver powerful kicks to the body of Johnny.

Suddenly they stopped and screams of pain shuddered through the air, Johnny opened his eyes to see a costumed man beat down on the thugs. Johnny got to his feet as the new arrival placed a perfect uppercut fist in to the jaw of the thug and a sharp kick to the side of the other rendering the two unconscious.

The costumed man then turned to Johnny, whom recognized the man from countless newspaper articles as the infamous Red Hood, the assassin.

"Thanks for the help." Johnny muttered as the man walked up to him.

"You're the hostage from the factory?" The costumed man asked from under his mask.

"Yeah." Johnny responded and fell back slightly against the wall.

"You know the Batman died defending you!" Red Hood muttered and grabbed Johnny by the shoulders and pressed him against the wall.

"He's dead?" Johnny shocked cried out.

"It's only a matter of time, and no one in this city seems to care, hell I hate the man but the fact that Gotham's protector is injured and no one seems to notice? All they care about in the papers is Jokers death, makes me sick."

And with that the Red Hood released his grip and held aloft a grappling launcher and disappeared leaving Johnny wounded surrounded by three unconscious thugs.

Johnny spat blood away from his mouth and slowly leaning against the wall for support walked away, he could feel every nerve tingle up his pine to his hands and his legs.

I'm not the reason he's dead, he thought in his mind, I was a hostage Joker is to blame surely.

He glanced behind him at the three thugs, suppose the same thing happened again and no one was here to help, suppose I had to defend myself I couldn't.

And with that Johnny crumpled to the floor, it was true, he was the reason why Batman had to appear at the factory if he hadn't been caught at the Jewellers heist by that cop he wouldn't have been captured by the Joker.

A life of crime had lead to the death of a defender of Justice, and even though he had been the cause for exploits of that justice, Johnny was a biker he had stolen petrol, raided trucks and even stole from well off people.

No more.

Johnny raised himself to his feet and walked out of the alley, he had been through something life changing in the last twenty four hours, he would amend all the evil he had done. In honour of the great savour of Gotham, the great protector, the Dark Knight, Batman.


	3. Ascension

Chapter 3

Ascension

If any thing the Bat should have considered retirement a long time ago, that was the way I saw it, he was just getting older and older and he could not keep up with the criminals out there. Hell he even had a bulls eye on the back of his head due to the amount of people gunning for him.

It hurts me to think about this, especially as I've just carried him from that factory here to his cave, his hideout his sanctuary. Alfred is working on him as I stand here, leaning against a railing looking down into the depths of the cave glancing at the operation table every so often.

Tim and Barb have arrived, I hear the clatter of their footsteps on the stone staircase as distinctly as a heart beat.

"Oh my god I saw the news is he all right?" Barbara screams as she throws her arms round me and cries on my chest.

I understand her tears, I wish I could share this moment with her but now I cannot show any signs of weakness, I notice even Tim is slowly losing concentration, his eyes are beginning to swell with water.

"Hey Tim, fancy making us all something to drink, I think we all need one tonight." I say with a slow nod.

Tim gulps and shakes his head forward, he then turns and runs back up the staircase to the kitchen, I breathe out thankfully, it gives him the chance to extinguish those tears without being watched. And also gives me a chance to calm Barb down.

"Listen Alfred is doing the best he can, we have to be thankful for that." I explain soothingly.

Barb pushes herself away from me, a flash of anger on her face. "It was the Joker wasn't it! That maniac deserves death!" She screams, I notice Alfred turn his head to us both.

I grab her arms and pull her to me, we share a moment, her eyes look so sullen with those blue tears falling from those hazel brown dots.

"Joker's dead, you have to relax Barbara." I instruct patiently, she looks at me as if she is seeing a completely different person however I must stay strong. "Alfred needs quiet, do you realise how delicate the procedure is?"

"Then let a Doctor do it!" She spits her response back.

"We have no time and Alfred is the best Doctor we have here." I mutter back.

She breaks free of my hold and turns away, leaving me standing alone in the centre of the platform. I watch her try to sustain herself, her hands cover her face she whimpers and the sounds drill through my ears.

I could never handle her crying.

"Barbara." I say as I take a step to her.

"Enough, why don't you go back to Bludhaven Dick?" She mutters back and begins to take her leave. "You never liked hanging around here anyway."

"What do you mean?" I ask bluntly pushing aside my feelings as Bruce taught me.

Barbara bared her teeth and turned around and raised a finger to me and exclaimed, "You walked out on us five years ago! Do you know how many times I watched Bruce look at the Bludhaven news to check if you were alright? He even asked me to keep track of you! And you still never called, didn't even bother with Alfred, Tim or me…"

I nod slowly keeping my eyes on her, I try not to show emotion but I fear my eyes may betray me. "I chose to leave because I had to be my own man, Bruce didn't like it because I was too young, we fought about it and in my anger I packed my bags and I walked out." I explain curtly. "I couldn't come back, he would have seen it as being less of a man."

To this Barbara refused to see sense, I hope she calms down this is not like her, why is she bringing this up now it has been five years, understand girl I think to myself.

"You and him, you're more alike than you know." She spat and turned around and walked away.

She marched past Tim who was holding a tray of drinks, she took one without even looking and continued up the staircase, her feet stamping on the stone marble leave a much louder impact.

"Is she ok?" Tim asks as he places the tray on the table.

"In time, what have you got there?" I ask with a slight smile, I notice his eyes are clearer and he is not shaking as much as earlier, barely noticeable.

"I made a bit of a shake with the Juices, I haven't even heard of half of these flavours." He says having a taste from his glass.

"Ha, Bruce did a bit of travelling when he was your age." I utter with a slight grin creep on my lips. "Besides why did you get Juice? You're more of the milk and cookies kid aint you?"

Tim darts a glare at me and grins, "Shut up man, I aint a little kid anymore." And for the first time I notice something different about him that I didn't before, he's grown more mature, I knew it had to happen soon and he is seventeen years old. He's grown more well built, is arms look stronger and even his upper body has improved.

I can still remember him being some weedy little kid, a good head and that was all he had to get by even if Bruce didn't like another kid by his side after Jason, Tim might be a better Robin than me he has certainly put up with a lot.

"Sir?" I hear Alfred call to me, I turn and I see him across the short distance, it doesn't look good.

Me and Tim drop our drink and charge over to him, Alfred certainly had a lot to deal with and he seemed to clot the blood well however too much blood had been lost before.

I stare from Bruce's lifeless form to Alfred helpless exasperated stance, he shook his head to me and I gulped.

"I did all I could." He implies.

I grab his arm softly and nod gently, "I know." I reply, I turn back to Bruce, he is still wearing his Batman costume, the knife wounds have almost torn it to pieces however the Bat symbol on his chest has a long slash across the centre.

Suddenly Bruce opened his eyes and turned very slowly and what looked to be very painfully to Dick, he gasped for breath and I leant in nearer.

"Bruce, just get some rest now Bruce." I mutter sympathetically.

"Is he awake!" I hear Barbara cry out and the sounds of her leaps and bounds to the hospital bed.

"Listen… all of you," Bruce coughs, I notice trails of blood on his breath. "We have lost good soldiers over the years, I … I just wanted to thank all of you, Tim…" Tim stepped up to my side and nodded. "You're a good a detective, remember from the mistakes made from others pave the way for success." Tim smiles and Bruce winks to him slyly, he then gestured to Barbara. "Barbara, you are a dear friend to me, please forgive the past, there can be no future otherwise."

And finally he turns to me, I see the pain in his eyes more fiercely now and I wish he'd sleep, be at peace there is nothing to say between us, I can't bare to see him like this it eats me alive but I keep strong as he taught me, and he taught me well.

"Dick Grayson, since the first day I met you I knew there was something in you that kept you strong." He utters shallowly. "I… I need to ask something of you, something I would not willingly pass on to others, but a need the trust of a son to carry this burden."

I see Bruce's left hand grab something on the operating table, it looks to be a black clothing item of some kind.

"You were the first Robin." He continues spitting out blood now. "I will ask you now for one last favour, it is your choice just leave the past where it is, I apologise for that night, you proved me wrong … finally."

I smile and nod, "What is it you ask of me Bruce?" I ask him calmly.

And in one final stroke Bruce tightened his grip on the clothing item and swerved his arm round to me and pressed it against my chest.

"You're a good man, better than me." He gasps and his head falls back and his arm loosens on my chest and falls away leaving the black cloth on my lap.

I look down and hold it up, it's his mask, the mask of the Batman.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Casualty of War

As he floats over the city in the starry night Clark Kent, Superman, watches over Gotham sharply whilst in deep thought over the events of the evening.

Bruce had been stabbed he could hear the police still chattering about the whole event, he had arrived in Gotham two hours late, he wished he'd been there earlier, he always told Bruce the Joker should be put away for good. Bruce never did listen.

"Gods sake Bruce." He mutters affectionately.

He could faintly hear his heart beat back at Wayne Manor, as the hours passed it was getting slower and slower and Clark was worried yet he could not do anything, of all the miraculous feats he had performed he could not save Bruce.

He had the idea to spin round the earth to turn back time, however he could not bring himself to tarnish the last act of Bruce, if he did go back and saved Bruce then the Joker would still be alive.

He could kill the Joker himself but Bruce wouldn't allow it, that was the one thing with Bruce he would never kill, a trait that was most noble however every time the Joker escaped he killed and it rattled Clark's nerves to the point he would argue with Bruce.

He could remember it clearly, the two took a stroll though Gotham park, it was Autumn and it was there the two argued over the matter.

"_Bruce why cant you kill the man, innocents die every time he escapes from Arkham or Blackgate!" Clark barked at Bruce._

_Bruce had shaken his head and stood his ground as the man of steel tried to intimidate him into realising, "We don't kill Clark." He had muttered back. "Only as a last resort." _

"_Why though, don't you understand?" _

"_I do, that is the difference between us and them Clark, we are not God, we have a choice." _

"_A choice that kills others! And say if this were to carry on, what would happen if you died and Joker still lived, what then?" _

"_I'd make sure if I were to go down, I'd be the one to personally drag him down to hell." _

Clark shook his head, at least the old man had kept true to his word and had the last laugh. Clark always had a deep found respect for Bruce, admittedly he had been a close confidant for him, Clark had a short fuse and could easily be manipulated when in a state of rage. And Bruce had always been by his side, with the JLA, against the hordes of evil and together they had travelled across worlds.

Just then something caught his eye, a figure bounding fast on rooftop, swinging from building to building, Clark tried to focus on who the character was but the speed the person was going and from such a distance Clark could not identify whether the person was male of female.

Curiosity got the better of him and with a flick of his cape he flew down onto the city, as he came upon the roofs the figure was covered I shadows, for a moment he thought it was Batman.

"Batman!" He shouted and increased his speed and chased after the stranger.

Then suddenly the figure went round a corner, Clark scanned the area and was amazed to see he had lost the person.

"Maybe my eye sight is playing tricks on me." He muttered and shook his head, however before he took his leave he noticed a very loud singular heartbeat very close to him.

He turned his head and scanned the area once more trying to pick up where the noise was coming from, the beat was strong and not steady possible meaning the person was out of breath from the chase.

"Come out, now!" He commanded balling his fists.

"Long way from Metropolis." A mysterious voice shuddered through the darkness. "What brings the man of steel here?"

"Never you mind," Clark replied, his stern voice like a knife cutting through the tension. "I said show yourself!"

And then from the darkness the masked figure stepped forward, the figure looked to be a six foot male, blonde hair covered by a green hat, he wore green jacket and tights. A red mask and a bow on his back with a quiver of arrows slotted next to it.

"Always a pleasure Green Arrow." Superman said as Green Arrow stepped more into the light relinquishing his hat from his hair and slightly combed his blonde fringe back.

"Same to you Superman." He muttered fixing his hat back on his head. "You hear about the Bat?"

"I heard it's why I came." Superman explained curtly. "Is that why you're here?"

Green Arrow sharpened his eyes on Superman and he nodded, "Yeah." He muttered.

"You're lying."

"How do the hell do you know?"

"I can hear your heart beat, tell me why you're here."

Green Arrow sighed and looked away to the skyscrapers of Gotham around them, Clark kept a sharp eye on him and crossed his arms.

"Batman died defending this hell hole from people like the Joker, word of mouth is someone warned Joker about the Batman." Green Arrow declaimed. "That is why Joker set off those time bombs, I reckoned that's why Bat was weak, took to many blasts to the head.

"He aint like you, he aint immortal he isn't a god, he's a man a god damn good man and some twisted freak got him, I want to know who sold him out, I talked to some of the police men, I examined the remains of that factory and interviewed some of the thugs there, apparently those bombs were placed after Joker received a phone call."

Superman shook his head and placed a hand on Green Arrow's shoulder empathetically. "It's mad to believe that, you know the Joker would have prepared for Batman."

"You calling me mad?" Green Arrow spat turning round to Superman shaking Superman's hand away. "Batman is dying or dead and all you can do to help is float round a city?"

"Your not listening."

"I am trying to get back at them Superman! Back at the scum who do this to us, every night we fight for justice and slowly we are losing soldiers."

"Casualties of war, that's how Bruce would have seen it."

Green Arrow fell quiet here and hung back, his arms before we so casually hung by his sides had now been tensed and convulsed the veins protruding across his wrists to his balled hands.

"Bruce was almost the military boy out of all of us." He sighed and loosened up his arms.

Superman nodded and replied, "He believed there was a war to fight, a war not about numbers but about us keeping strong, we are the ones to do good in this world, men like the Joker are the enemy and we are the resistance. That's what he told me, I told him he was a fool for letting him live for so long, it caught up to him in the end though."

Green Arrow nodded and gripped his jaw in deep thought, "Not killing, he was always by the book, I'm heading out of here and I aint coming back, you got my number if you need me." He muttered and in moments he had jumped from the building and into the night.

Superman stepped up to the edge of the building and looked over Gotham himself, the tall skyscrapers, the cries of anguish from the city below and the night's moon, watched it in the sky looking over the city.

"So long Bruce, wherever you are I hope you hear me." He gasped and knelt down and pushed himself up and into the sky.


End file.
